Ghost of Yotei is among the most exciting games releasing in 2025, not just because it looks promising on its own, but also because it is following Ghost of Tsushima, one of the best games of 2020. To the surprise of many, Sucker Punch revealed that Ghost of Yotei would not, in fact, be continuing the story of Jin Sakai, instead taking place on mainland Japan, several centuries in the future. Naturally, there is also a new protagonist at the helm: Atsu.
There’s a fairly strong chance that Ghost of Yotei will not be linked to Ghost of Tsushima through any direct narrative threads. Unlike a series like Assassin’s Creed, whose anthology formula is upheld by connective tissue, such as the modern-day plot and the ever-warring Assassin and Templar factions, Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t introduce any long-lasting plot elements. There are no globe-spanning cabals or grand movements for greater freedoms in Ghost of Tsushima‘s world. Rather, the first game is solely focused on a conflict between Japan and the Yuan Dynasty, and one samurai’s choice to win the fight by any means necessary. One can assume that Ghost of Yotei will walk a similar path.
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Sucker Punch Can Kill Two Birds With One Stone Ahead of Ghost of Yotei By Updating One Game
Before Ghost of Yotei breaks onto the scene later this year, Sucker Punch should send some love to an older game, yielding a two-pronged benefit.
If Ghost of Yotei Is Successful, Sucker Punch Could Have an Anthology On Its Hands
Ghost of Yotei Establishes a Precedent for New Settings
While many fans would surely have been happy to experience a new chapter in Jin’s story, there’s more potential in a new character and premise. Jin is a mortal man in a grounded franchise, unable to sustain a long-running story, barring a significant reduction in plausibility via immortality or some such development. Bringing a new face into the mix means that the Ghost franchise can tell a new, unrestrained story with Ghost of Yotei, but it also means that future entries can do the same, as audiences won’t expect a fanatical devotion to continuity.
Ghost of Yotei is still very much about “the romance and beauty of feudal Japan,” as Sucker Punch Creative Director Nate Fox puts it. Even though it takes place more than three centuries after Ghost of Tsushima, it’s still rooted in Japanese history and culture, which is reflected in its narrative, world-building, and gameplay. That said, Sucker Punch could very well choose to extend the series beyond The Land of the Rising Sun, moving forward with a Ghost of Paris or Ghost of Bangkok, for instance. Even if the series wants to stay firmly rooted in Japan, its untethering from temporal setting opens the door to greater narrative freedom.
Ghost of Yotei Could Be the Seed for the Ultimate Historical Fiction Anthology
Assuming that the connection between Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei is more spiritual or symbolic than literal, Sucker Punch could be faced with a lot of potential for broader franchise-building. To make the comparison again, Assassin’s Creed‘s anthology formula, while potent and clearly effective in some ways, is also restrictive: there’s always the need to weave in modern-day elements, Assassin-Templar conflicts, and the mystical, speculative fiction aspects relating to Isu and the like. Not only does this distract from the series’ most unique element—its expertly recreated historical settings—but it also makes for a messier, more convoluted narrative overall.
Since Atsu will be assuming the identity of The Ghost in Ghost of Yotei, it’s possible that Jin’s exploits will be something of a legend, serving as the connection between the two games. Still, this is a minor link, and more of an homage than anything else.
Ghost of Yotei could introduce a version of this formula without all the superfluous ingredients. Its setting-hopping could be far more elegant and accessible, not chained to an overarching story. In theory, this would allow the Ghost franchise to continue in perpetuity without ever feeling old or derivative.
The sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yōtei is a PS5 exclusive scheduled to drop at some point in 2025. Taking place in 1603, the story will feature a new protagonist and a new Japanese region that is far removed from Tsushima’s setting.
Action
Adventure
Open-World
- Released
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2025
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment